


Sick Day

by quietlikeastorm



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-19 02:04:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3592176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quietlikeastorm/pseuds/quietlikeastorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short fic where Guinevere fusses and muses over a hurt Merlin. Arthur makes an appearance. Merlin outs himself and Percival doesn’t know how to take all of this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sick Day

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to the BBC and not me sadly. 1055 words. So. Much. FLUFF.

Guinevere sighed a little as she gently dabbed Merlin’s forehead with a damp cloth. He was fevered and the wound on his temple was dark and foreboding looking. Leave it to Merlin that when they had finally had a respite from war and other enemies, that he would cause another stir.

 

Guinevere smiled, Merlin always kept everyone on their toes. It was one of the many qualities she admired about him. Remembering the first time they had spoken, when Merlin had been in the stocks, Guinevere carefully wound a clean bandage around his head and tied it off. She wished he would wake soon though. Glancing outside she noticed the sun getting low in the sky. Gaius had said that if he woke before nightfall, then there would be no worry over Merlin’s recovery. Arthur had blustered that Merlin had better be back doing his chores by nightfall, but she and everyone else knew that Arthur was just as worried about him, if not more so. The two had been together many years and Guinevere knew Arthur depended on Merlin for a lot more than just his manservant duties. Her husband could be friendly and charismatic, but he had never made friends easily.

 

Humming an old song her father used to sing to her when she was young and the moon had kept her from sleep, Guinevere cleaned Gaius’ workspace as she waited on Merlin. The court physician was getting on in his years and she knew Merlin tried to help him when he could, but really the man needed a full time assistant. She wondered if there would be a need to appoint a new physician in the upcoming years. The thought brought many feelings up. Sadness at the change. Fear about why they would need to, that Gaius had become too old and frail or that he had passed away. Pride that Merlin’s name would probably be at the top of that list.

 

Picking up the broom from the corner, Guinevere started to sweep. She hadn’t cleaned anything in years now, Queen’s didn’t do such things, but she found her hands remembered for her. She reveled in the simple joy of cleaning and letting one’s mind wander to far away places.

 

A low knock a couple hours later made Guinevere stop her work, “Yes?” she called.

 

Arthur’s golden head peeked into view along with Percivals above him, reminding her far too much of boys hoping to steal a sweet when the cook wasn‘t looking than a regal King and his knight checking on a friend. “We’ve come to check on the idiot,” Arthur said.

 

Pursing her mouth at him he looked slightly abashed. “It wasn’t my fault he tripped and landed his too large head on the only rock in that practice field,” he tried to defend himself as they came in the room and quietly shut the door. The Queen’s brows raised and Arthur looked contrite now, “He always was clumsy. I guess I should have known something would happen and should have watched out for him more.”

 

“Hmm,” Guinevere replied and she and Percival shared knowing smiles as Arthur huffed in frustration at them.

 

A soft groan brought her short. Handing the broom she had been holding to Arthur, who looked befuddled as to what to do with it, Guinevere stepped over to Merlin and soothed a hand over his still too warm brow. “Merlin?” she asked.

 

Another groan and she watched him frown and his body start to twitch all over. She carefully sat at the edge of the cot and smoothed his dark crown of hair, hearing the two men had come up behind her, “Merlin you sleepyhead, it’s time to wake up,” she said softly. “Let’s have you lazy daisy,” and wondered why Arthur muffled a chuckle behind a gloved hand.

 

Merlin’s eyes slowly opened and she smiled at him. He smiled back and whispered, “Pretty.”

 

Guinevere couldn’t help but laugh, “You think I look pretty? I’ve been cleaning for some time now and I’m sure my dress has dust all over it and my hair is coming loose.”

 

“Pretty,” Merlin repeated, one of his hands coming up slightly to let one of her curls wrap around his finger. He tugged it gently and smiled so lovingly at her it made her breath catch, “Always pretty.”

 

Guinevere couldn’t help the blush that stained her cheeks, “Hush you,” she said fussing with the blanket warming him, “The King will put you in the stocks for sure if he hears that talk.” She couldn’t help but look over at said King who she thought would be trying his hardest not to laugh at his obviously still addled manservant. Instead Arthur just had a surprisingly open and fond look on his face as he regarded them.

 

“It would seem his tongue was knocked loose as much as his head,” Percival commented and Merlin looked over at him, surprised the knight was standing there at the foot of the cot. As if he had appeared by magic.

 

“Best to get all those secrets out of him now then, hm?” Arthur mused. They all knew Merlin was secretive and even she and Arthur, as close as they were to him and being rulers of Camelot knew they couldn’t fathom how much Merlin held inside. Guinevere had many suspicions of the things he held in his heart and had done for them all. She and Arthur hoped one day Merlin would trust them enough to tell them.

 

“Hello,” Merlin greeted Percival, his eyes never leaving him even as Arthur had spoken.

 

“Hello Merlin,” Percival replied with a small smile, “How are you feeling?”

 

“You’re pretty too,” Merlin said and smiled beautifully at the man.

 

“What?” Percival asked shocked, his cheeks and ears turning a magnificent shade of red.

 

“Alright fine, handsome,” Merlin amended and _winked_ at the large knight.

 

Guinevere was sure the whole of Camelot could hear their King laughing, a roaring noise that came from deep in his belly that she had not heard since he had been a very young man. She couldn’t help but soon join him as Merlin waggled his eyebrows at Percival suggestively and the poor knight actually hid his face behind his hands.

 

All was well again. Percival might say otherwise, but Guinevere would take it gladly.


End file.
